In computer applications many different electrical components are often electrically connected to a circuit board or to each other by using electrical interconnectors. Electrical interconnectors typically comprise a body made from a rigid or semi-flexible dielectric material. The body houses a plurality of electrically conductive wires which are each capable of transmitting electrical power or an electrical signal through the body. Such interconnectors are well known in the art and are configured having a plurality of electrical contacts at one surface, arranged to connect with corresponding electrical contacts of a first electrical component, and an identical plurality of electrical contacts at another surface, arranged to connect with corresponding electrical contacts of a second electrical component. Electrical power or electrical signals are transferred to and/or from each electrical component by connection with the electrical contacts that are connected to the conductive wires within the body of the interconnector.
Computers typically comprise a number of different electrical components such as multi-chip modules and the like which each require some type of electrical interconnection with other electrical components in the computer. As the need for increased data handling capacity and data handling speed for the computer increases, the amount of electrical components within the computer also increases. In order to accommodate the large number of electrical components within the computer each component is either reduced in size or combined with other components to form a single integrated package. Reducing the size of or integrating each electrical component effectively reduces the amount of space occupied by the electrical component, thereby facilitating the use of more electrical components within the same amount of space than previously obtained.
However, regardless of the size or combination of electrical components, each electrical component will still comprise approximately the same number of electrical connectors requiring interconnection within the computer. Therefore, as the size of each electrical component is reduced the amount of electrical components contained within a computer increases as well as the amount of electrical connectors requiring interconnection. In order to further optimize space the now reduced in size electrical components are placed in close proximity to each other. Therefore, the number of electrical connections per unit of space within the computer is high.
In order to accommodate the high density of electrical connections corresponding to each electrical component the electrical interconnector should be of the high density type, i.e., it should be configured having a complementary arrangement of accommodating connections. Fabricating electrical interconnectors using printed circuit board technology is known in the art. However, using printed circuit technology effectively limits the number of connections that can be manufactured within each interconnector. The high density of connections for electrical components used in high performance computer applications requires the use of interconnectors having a higher density than can be provided using printed circuit board technology.
In the construction of high performance computer, many electrical components, such as multi-chip modules and the like, must be interconnected in a manner that will optimize the use of space. The need to optimize space oftentimes results in placing electrical components requiring interconnection at different heights or planes of orientation to each other. Therefore, in order to accommodate electrical interaction between electrical components oriented in such a manner, an electrical interconnector must be manufactured having a configuration that accounts for the difference in orientation.
High performance computers are constructed from many different electrical components requiring a means of electrical interconnection that is capable of accommodating the variety of different orientations that each electrical component may be placed. Ideally, the most practical and efficient method of interconnecting the electrical components would be to limit their placement, with respect to interconnecting components, to a single preferred orientation. Unfortunately, however, computer technology moves ahead at a rapid pace requiring that the computer designer be somewhat flexible in the arrangement of the electrical components making up the computer to permit the incorporation of more and more components or different components as the need for faster or high-capacity computers continues. Therefore, the design and manufacture of a new electrical interconnector to accommodate each possible variation in orientation between two interconnecting electrical components is not realistic.
The construction of high performance computers often requires the electrical interconnection of more than one electrical component, each having a different height or plane of orientation than that of its interconnecting component. The interconnection of more than one electrical component adds to the possible variety of orientations that may exist, and thus further complicates the method for interconnecting each component. An electrical interconnector that can accommodate electrical interconnection between multiple electrical components having multiple planes of orientation must also be capable of accommodating a large number of electrical connections for each electrical component (i.e., it must be a high-density electrical interconnector).
The need to accommodate a large number of electrical connections per electrical component is a result of the need to optimize space in the construction of a high performance computer. As computer and electrical technology has evolved, the size of electrical components used in the construction of the computer has decreased. The decrease in the size of electrical components is partly due to consolidation. For example, the combination of many integrated circuits to form a single multi-chip module. The multi-chip module (MCM), although relatively small in size, comprises many different circuits which all require electrical connection. Accordingly, the electrical interconnector used to connect such MCMs must be high-density so that it can accommodate such a large number of electrical connections in a small amount of space.
It is, therefore, desirable that an electrical interconnector be constructed to accommodate a large number electrical connections, i.e., be a high density interconnector capable of accommodating electrical interconnection in high performance computers. It is desirable that an electrical interconnector be constructed to accommodate interconnection between two or more electrical components each positioned in a variety of different heights and positions and having a different plane of orientation. It is desirable that such an electrical interconnector accommodate a high number of electrical connections per surface area. It is also desirable that the method for manufacturing the electrical interconnector, as well as the materials used, be both practical and economically feasible.